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Council approves temporary bonds for street projects

Paving on both projects expected to start in July

By Jan Schultz

The Imperial Republican

With work starting this summer on the street pavings in Sage Addition in northwest Imperial and on East 2nd Street in the Cornerstone property, city council action this week will provide for temporary funding of those projects.

On Monday, the council approved $2,350,000 in Bond Anticipation Notes (BANS), which are short-term bonds to pay the contractors as the work progresses.

By law, according to City Clerk/Administrator Jo Leyland, the projects have to be complete before bonds are issued for the long-term debt.

So, in the interim, since contractors request draws throughout the project, the temporary bonds are issued.

Bruce Leffler of Ameritas in Omaha was at the meeting to review the ordinance that approved the temporary bond funding.

Leyland noted that once assessments are made to Sage Addition property owners, there may be some funding that will be paid by the property owners right away, rather than spread-out payments. If that happens, the city may not have to issue the entire amount of the project in the long-term bonds.

Leffler noted $600,000 to $700,000 of the BANS have already been purchased by local banks.

The BANS are being issued with an interest rate of 0.35 percent, he added.

The street improvement projects also include storm sewer and drainage work.

Work is expected to start on both projects in early July.

In Monday’s 50-minute meeting, there were just a few other items of business, including street closings for the fair’s car show, approval of an IVFD member and a report from Sandra Palmer, administrator of the Manor and Imperial Heights/Parkview.

Street closings between 6th and 7th Sts., and 7th and 8th Sts. on Wellington were approved for Saturday, Aug. 17, during the Chase County Fair for the Car Nutz classic car show.

Only the intersection at 7th and Wellington will be closed this year since that area is site for the fair barbecue, according to Monday’s discussion.

Harchelroad Motors will not be having its Corvette Classic at the fair this year. Their plans are to hold an expanded show on Saturday, Oct. 12, that will include other GM classic vehicles from the Chevy, Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile lines, said Dillon Harchelroad.

Troy Space was approved as a member of the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department. Space was a previous IVFD firefighter, but gave it up due to job responsibilities. He has changed jobs, allowing him to return to membership.

Parli pro demo

Likely the highlight of Monday’s meeting was a parliamentary procedure demonstration given by the Imperial FFA team, which recently took the state gold and qualified for nationals.

Callin Ledall, who has been the student representative on the city council for two years, is part of the team.

He and the other five team members, Spencer Hartman, Shandra Johnson, Justin German, Cassie Burpo and Ashlin Bussell, gave a 10-minute parli pro demo, then answered questions from the council and others at the meeting.

FFA Advisor Jeremy Vlasin, also the parli pro coach, noted the Imperial team will compete with about 40 other state champion teams from across the U.S. at the national FFA convention this fall.

Normally, about 2,000 convention attendees will watch the parli pro competition after it’s narrowed to four teams.

At the conclusion of the FFA demonstration, council member John Arterburn asked with a grin if Mayor Dwight Coleman was taking notes.

Coleman issued the invitation to Ledall and his team to present the parli pro demo.